TUES 9/30: Movie, Reading, Rock

If you want some financial advice from an anonymous blogger, stay calm about the stock market. Your 401k should be fine by the time you retire -- if you ever get to retire...

There's no need to spend many of those dwindling dollars: below are three free things to do tonight.

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TUES 9/30

6pm
Boston Cares Social Cinema: "Chicago 10"
at Rabb Lecture Hall, Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston St, Boston (Copley Sq)
FREE

Combining archival footage with rotoscope-animation, the film reenacts the trial of those who led the protest outside of the '68 Democratic convention that were known as the "Chicago 7" plus a Black Panther plus their lawyers. (Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, Tom Hayden, Bobby Seale are the names that might be remembered by casual students of history.)

I loved this style of animation when I first saw in "Waking Life" and get a little weirded out by those financial commercials that use it. Here it feels like they added motion to a comic book, but perhaps it's better than making actors dress in silly, hippie outfits. Some well-known actors contributed their voices, such as Hank Azaria, Nick Nolte, Roy Scheider, Mark Ruffalo, Liev Schreiber, and Jeffrey Wright.

A discussion follows the screening, which I assume will touch on political protests and unjust trials...

TUES 9/30

7pm
Bill Buffett, "Foods You Will Enjoy": Reading
at Porter Square Books, 25 White St, Cambridge (near Star Market)
FREE

As I understand Bill Buffett's father owned a grocery store in Omaha, and this story is a homage to independent businesses. Some of the recollections involve his cousin, Warren, and another guy named Charlie Munger. These guys might have learned some solid lessons in running a business, since they're currently chairman & vice-chairman of Berkshire-Hathaway. Bill lives with his family in Arlington these days, so he should know how to get to the bookstore. Everyone is invited follow along to a local restaurant (Christopher's...?) for apps and drinks (prob. cash bar).

TUES 9/30

9:30pm
Reports, Phantom Buffalo, The Needy Visions
at Milky Way Lounge, 403 Centre St, Jamaica Plain
FREE / 21+

Thanks to the Weekly Dig for sponsoring a bunch of free shows this summer. Alas, the summer is way over! This is the last of the series, and Dewars is hopping along on the indie-rock fun tonight. (It may not be the totally free scotch-fest of their RSVP parties, but I have to think some 'samples' will be available...

Thankfully Reports and The Needy Visions play around town on a regular basis, but there is more reason to go if the promise of free booze isn't enough. There will be a rare "Phantom Buffalo" (fka The Ponys) sighting since their natural habitat is to the north around Portland. You might be angry with yourself at first, because you've missed out on listening for the last few years -- be happy, because the music is so darn good. If you love The Shins, Phantom Buffalo will be right up your alley. We all know that the Brits are overzealous, but Mojo magazine listed their last CD in their top 50 of '05. And let's not forget the noisy yet catchy, make-you-wanna-dance wonderfulness of Reports and The Needy Visions!

Bowling on Tuesdays is half-priced ($12.50/hour) after 9pm. Get your candlepin on before they move in March '09.